This invention relates generally to a snap-on (removeable) valve that saves installation time, and specifically to an easily installed fluid valve that is useful for shutting off the inlet fluid supply to a conventional fixture found in domestic or commercial fluid application. Each inlet and outlet opening of the valve housing (that connect to the system pipes) receives a pipe end spiral retaining member that interlocks the pipe end to the valve housing during manual insertion of the pipe end into the valve housing opening. The improved valve disclosed herein is operable in either an open or closed condition, or in an infinite number of intermediate positions which regulate the amount of fluid flowing therethrough.
Shut off valves are conventionally disposed either on the inlet fluid supply or on a fixture to provide for shut off of the inlet fluid supply to the fixture. It is quite common to find a shut off valve coupled in any fluid supply line.
In the past, many such shut off valves have manually rotated, threaded stems with packing elements for sealing, such conventional valves being relatively expensive to manufacture due to the machinery required. Also installation costs of such conventional shut off valves has become expensive due to the high cost of labor and time consuming fittings. Such valves were also difficult to open against packing pressure. Once installed, the valves were difficult to remove.
The present invention provides many advantages over the conventional shut off valves discussed above, that greatly reduces the valve fabrication costs while at the same time lowering installation costs, without sacrificing operability or reliability. Further, the improved shut off valve disclosed herein, provides a fail-safe operation in that the inlet fluid supply and/or spring pressure acts to seal the valve in a closed position. Other features of the valve disclosed herein are that it has components that can be simply fabricated and easily assembled (all molded elements) and does not require machining after the molding process. The invention further includes novel easily removable snap-on fittings and seals for quickly installing and removing the valve in the supply line.